fernando mendoza
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Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza.
As the 2026 NFL Draft gets closer, it seems more and more likely that the Las Vegas Raiders select Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 pick. He’s mostly been the consensus No. 1 quarterback in the draft class, but there’s recently been some pushback.
Pundits like Dan Orlovsky and Todd McShay have floated the notion that Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson is a better prospect. Now, those two based that on the tape from the first half of the 2025 college football season, so it’s possible their minds will change as they watch more games.
However, there are also people in the NFL who aren’t as high on Mendoza. The Athletic’s Mike Sando spoke to people around the NFL about the quarterback for a new mock draft. While he still ended up projecting the Raiders to take Mendoza, one NFL coach doesn’t think that highly of the quarterback.
“I don’t think he’s surefire at all,” a veteran offensive coach told Sando. “I like the Alabama guy (Ty Simpson) better.”
It’s difficult to know why this coach would have the evaluation without knowing more details. Mendoza is smart, big, has a good arm and has showcased high level leaderhsip abilities. The recent pushback on him is odd.
Mendoza Hoping to Work With Tom Brady
There’s been so much talk about the Raiders drafting Mendoza. He’s had to at least be thinking about the possibility.
Minority Tom Brady is widely considered the greatest quarterback ever, and a player that Mendoza admires greatly. He’s hoping for the chance to work directly with Brady in the near future.
“Who hasn’t admired Tom Brady?” Mendoza said at the Combine. “Tom Brady, I believe, is the greatest quarterback of all time by a wide margin. To be able to have the opportunity to be mentored by him would mean so much, especially to learn. I’m all about learning.
“From Day 1, I gotta learn a lot. It’s going to be a long journey, and to have — potentially have — a mentor like that would be pretty impressive and pretty meaningful.”
Mendoza Talks Transition to NFL
Things won’t be as easy for Mendoza on the Raiders as they were last season at Indiana. The Raiders are a struggling franchise that hasn’t won a playoff game in over 20 years.
However, Mendoza doesn’t think it’s impossible to help a team turn around quickly. The talent gap between NFL teams isn’t as wide as many people think. Mendoza is going to do what he can to put the team that drafts him in a position to win.
“In the NFL, the margins are so small,” Mendoza said. “There are so many games decided by so few points, and the difference between a losing record and a winning record is a couple of drives, is a couple of key plays. Whatever team I’m on, I’m just going to take that advice and take the coaching from the coaching staff, and however I can best serve my teammates on that team, I’m going to do it to the best of my ability.”